A Glimpse Ahead
by Lina-Li1
Summary: While Kagome and Inuyasha are fighting a new youkai, a mysterious girl shows up claiming to help them out. She also seems to hold some secrets about the future. IK
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha and I have no money anyway so please don't sue me.  
  
A Glimpse Ahead  
  
Ch 1  
  
"Crack!"  
  
Kagome watched helplessly as he bow was snapped in half by the youkai in front of her. It was only she and Inuyasha fighting this new minion of Naraku's and now she had lost her only weapon. She found herself wishing, for the hundredth time, that Sango and Miroku were there but they were checking out shard rumors in another village. The youkai they were fighting wasn't like anything they had ever seen before. It had a long tail, two arms and legs (with claws), and fangs like a spider.  
  
She heard Inuyasha call her name and looked up in time to see the giant tail coming towards her. She prepared for the coming blow. However, instead of hitting her the tail wrapped around her, squeezing her to the point that she felt some of her ribs crack. It then positioned itself so that she would be able to see the rest of the battle between the youkai and Inuyasha. As she watched it became more apparent that the new youkai had the upperhand. Inuyasha took blow after blow, receiving serious injury. Kagome watched Inuyasha take a particularly bad blow and fall unconscious. Kagome screamed as she saw the youkai preparing for the final blow. Just when she was sure she was about to witness Inuyasha's death, Kagome noticed something hit the youkai's head and the youkai was vaporized, dropping her in the process.  
  
Kagome quickly stood up; ignoring the pain in her sides and ran to the fallen Inuyasha. She called out to him and received no reaction in return. "Inuyasha! Please wake up. You have to wake up. Open your eyes. Look at me." Kagome jerked her head up as she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to find a girl about her own age looking back at her. The girl was dressed in what appeared to be navy blue tank top and shorts with a red haori over it. The haori was tied with a yellow sash and she had on lighter boots and wrist guards on. She had steel gray eyes and silvery hair. She was still clutching her bow and had a sword at her side.  
  
The girl looked over at Inuyasha, "We really shouldn't move him in this condition. And you're hurt too, aren't you, Kagome? But I have an idea. You have some miko powers, right? Well so do I. If we combine our powers we can probably create a barrier around the three of us until he can travel."  
  
"It sounds reasonable but who are you? And how do you know my name?"  
  
The girl gave a small laugh, "My name is Ritsuko. I grew up not too far from here. I know a lot about you and Inuyasha here, as well as your other companions. And to prove that you can trust me." The girl walked over and picked up a jewel shard from the demon. Kagome watched as Ritsuko purified the shard and handed it over. "I wouldn't be able to do that if I was untrustworthy now would I unless I was Kikyou in her walking corpse form, which I'm obviously not. I know that you don't fully trust her.  
  
"That still doesn't explain why you know so much about us," Kagome pointed out.  
  
This time Ritsuko laughed out loud, "Well you all are kind of legendary. And my father loves to tell stories of your adventures. I probably know more about all of you than you know about each other. Maybe even more than you know about yourselves at this point."  
  
Being mildly satisfied with the newcomer's explanation, Kagome turned her attention back to Inuyasha. He hadn't even stirred yet. Kagome was really starting to get worried. These were the worst injuries she'd ever seen him with. She turned back to Ritsuko, "Do you think he's going to be okay?"  
  
Ritsuko glanced at Inuyasha then looked at Kagome and said, "His wounds are very serious, even for a hanyou. But I believe that if you stay by his side he might have a chance."  
  
"Might?!" shrieked Kagome, "Isn't there any way to guarantee that he'll be all right?"  
  
"Well, there is," Ritsuko said, "but it is not something most humans are capable of and those that are don't usually want to. With your miko powers I believe that you could do it. But it will hurt you like hell."  
  
"What is it?" Kagome asked.  
  
"My father told me of a spell in which one can split a person's injuries and take on half the severity of another's wounds. With injuries half this severe he would be able to heal in no time. However, to take that upon yourself would be crazy. You would most likely survive such wounds but your recovery would be long, slow, and painful."  
  
That was enough for Kagome to decide. It didn't matter what kind of pain she endured, she would not leave Inuyasha's life to chance. As soon as she made her decision, Kagome heard a voice inside her telling her what she would have to do to complete the spell. 


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Sadly I don't own Inuyasha. But I do own Ritsuko, she's my own character  
  
A Glimpse Ahead Ch. 2  
  
Kagome leaned over Inuyasha with a hand on each side of his face and performed the spell. At first nothing happened. Then suddenly Kagome started to feel her skin tearing. There was intense pain and then she passed out, collapsing on top of Inuyasha.  
  
Inuyasha awoke to find something warm on top of him. He also realized he could sense a new youkai in the area. He opened his eyes to find and injured Kagome on top of him and a strange girl not far from them. He glared at the newcomer. The youki he had felt was coming from her. He shouted at her, "What did you do to Kagome? Damn you. I know you're a youkai. Who are you?"  
  
The girl looked back at him with gray eyes that he found oddly familiar. After a few seconds she spoke, "I am not a full youkai, but you are right. I do have youkai blood within me. And I will tell you now that I did nothing to Kagome, as you call her, except save her from the other youkai. She took it upon herself to take on those wounds. If you'll notice, they match up with your wounds exactly. She did this in order to save your life."  
  
Inuyasha looked at Kagome in shock. The girl was right, their wounds were identical, so Kagome had actually gone through this for him?! He reached up and gently brushed her hair off her face.  
  
"Besides," the other girl continued, "I would never do anything to hurt someone close to you, Inuyasha. After all, you are my father."  
  
Another shocked expression appeared on Inuyasha's face, "I'm your what?!"  
  
"You're my father. I'm your daughter. I traveled through time, with your help, from what you would consider the future to be here today. My name is Ritsuko and I am a quarter youkai. I came here because there will be some events coming up that I will be able to help you with. Especially since Kagome here is not going to be at full strength for awhile."  
  
"How exactly did she do whatever she did anyway."  
  
"I don't actually know," Ritsuko replied, "I told her that I had been told, by father, or you, that there was a spell that could accomplish such a thing. But I myself do not know how to perform the spell so I don't know how she was able to do it. She did that on her own. It'll be okay though. She will be fine. Listen, I didn't tell Kagome who I was. If you wish to tell her, you may but I would be careful about it if I were you. For now, I suggest we take her back to the village."  
  
Inuyasha nodded and picked Kagome up, although his movements were rather slow and stiff as he was still in some pain. Then he headed back towards Kaede's hut with Ritsuko following close behind him. When they reached the hut Sango, Miroku, Kaede, and Shippo all looked up in surprise as Inuyasha stumbled in, about to drop Kagome, with a stranger following behind him.  
  
"Oh my gosh, what happened to Kagome?" exclaimed Sango.  
  
"And who is this lovely young women?" added Miroku.  
  
Inuyasha growled at the monk and stepped in front of Ritsuko. He started to explain what he knew as he set Kagome down and crouched down beside her, "Kagome saved me. She took on some of the injuries that I received during a fight. This girl here is Ritsuko. She claims that she's my daughter from the future."  
  
Kaede looked over Kagome's wounds, "She will survive these wounds, although it might take some time for her to fully recover. And someone should watch over her until she wakes up." She then turned to Ritsuko, "Now, did you say she got these wounds by taking on Inuyasha's injuries"  
  
Ritsuko nodded, "Yes, my father here told me about the existence of such a spell when I was young. He didn't ever tell me how the spell was performed though so I'm surprised she was able to do it. My father told me that he had known two women capable of using this spell but that he had only known of one of them actually using it. I guess that one is Kagome."  
  
"And the other one is probably Kikyou," continued Kaede  
  
Shippo thought of something at that point, "You said that Inuyasha said that he had known these women. Does that mean that he doesn't know them any more in your time."  
  
Everyone turned his or her attention on Ritsuko waiting for her answer. She thought for a moment before answering, "You know, I had never thought to ask about that. But I would think that he still knows one of them in my time."  
  
This brought Miroku to ask another question, "If Inuyasha is your father, may I ask who your mother is?"  
  
"I'm afraid that that's one question I can't answer." 


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I wish I owned Inuyasha, but I don't. I do own Ritsuko though.  
A Glimpse Ahead  
  
Ch 3  
  
"What do you mean?" Miroku asked, "How could you not know who your mother is?"  
  
Ritsuko ignored Miroku's question, "Anyway, I have been sent here to help you with some of the upcoming threats, as I already know how to overcome them. However, I have been given a very specific set of rules and there are some bits of information that I am not permitted to give."  
  
"What's going on guys?"  
  
The group turned around and stared in surprise at Kagome who was not only full conscious now but also was standing up and shaking herself off. Except for a few quickly fading marks, there was little evidence that she had been injured at all. Then all eyes turned to Kaede, who looked as perplexed as everyone else.  
  
Inuyasha was the first to say anything, "K-Kagome? Are you okay? How did your wounds heal so fast?"  
  
Kagome looked at Inuyasha then down at herself, "You mean it worked?" Then she realized what he had asked her, "I don't know how I healed. I don't even know how quickly I healed. But I'm okay. Are you okay?"  
  
"It really hasn't been that long since Inuyasha brought you and Ritsuko here. Miroku and I had just gotten back," offered Sango.  
  
"Wow, so I really did heal quickly?" Kagome gasped, wide-eyed.  
  
"There are two possible explanations for that," Ritsuko said, " The first is that you somehow figured out a way to use your miko abilities to heal yourself. The second is that when you took on father's injuries, you might have also taken on some of his healing powers."  
  
Kagome nodded, and then realized what Ritsuko had just said, "Wait a minute. What did you mean 'father's' injuries?"  
  
"Apparently," Sango explained, "Ritsuko here is Inuyasha's daughter from the future."  
  
"Oh. Okay." said Kagome, looking somewhat bewildered.  
  
Everyone blinked in surprise and stared at Kagome. That was not the reaction they expected from her after hearing about Inuyasha's daughter. But then again, she had just taken it quite a lot.  
  
Kagome's head was spinning with all the new information. Sango noticed that her friend had spaced out and tried to snap her out of it, "Hey, Kagome. Do you want to go out to the hot springs? I think a nice bath will help you out."  
  
While Kagome's expression remained fairly blank, she did nod her head. She then stood up and collected her bath things. Ritsuko joined the other two girls despite warnings from Kaede that it might not be a wise idea. After a while at the hot springs, Sango finally snapped Kagome out of her trance by asking a question of Ritsuko, "Is there anything at all that you can tell us about the future?"  
  
"Well if things go as they should, you will find a way to save your brother. Shippo will meet a nice young female kitsune. Oh, and my aunt says that the changes in my father after the battle with Naraku are somewhat drastic."  
  
The other two looked up and exclaimed in unison, "Your aunt?!"  
  
Ritsuko nodded, "Yeah, she's known my father for about the same amount of time as my mother has, so I guess she would know."  
  
"Oh, "Kagome said as she stood up, "Sango, I think I'm gonna go for a little walk now." 


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: You and I both know that I do not own Inuyasha no matter how much I wish I do.  
  
A/N: Sorry this is short but the main computer I have access to over my break doesn't have Word, so this all I could get done. That also means I probably won't get another update done until after break. Sorry.  
  
A Glimpse Ahead  
  
Ch. 4  
"Did I say something wrong?" Ritsuko asked.  
  
Sango didn't answer.  
  
Meanwhile, Kagome was wandering around in the woods, lost in thought, 'She said that her aunt mentioned that Inuyasha had changed. I don't have a sister and neither does Inuyasha. So I guess I'm not the one Inuyasha ends up with. Ritsuko's mother is probably Kikyo. That would make Kaede Ritsuko's aunt. That makes some sense because Kaede did meet Inuyasha around the same time that Kikyo did.' Before she knew it, tears were threatening to fall down her cheeks. Still she continued to running blindly, traveling deeper and deeper into the woods.  
  
By this time, Sango and Ritsuko had made it back to Kaede's hut. Inuyash, Miroku, Shippo, and Kaede were sitting around the cooking fire.  
  
"Oi!" Inuyasha said impatiently, "Where's Kagome? If she thinks that she can try to sneak off back to here time, she's got another thing coming to her."  
  
"She didn't head toward the well. I said something that seemed to upset her, though I don't know why. Anyway she said she was going for a walk and took off into the woods." Ritsuko explained.  
  
"For crying out loud. That wench is so reckless."  
  
Miroku interrupted, "Might I ask what it was you were talking about when Kagome-sama ran off?"  
  
Ritsuko nodded and explained what they had been talking about. Miroku and Kaede got understanding looks on their faces while Inuyasha ended up looking more confused than before, "Why the hell would she take off because of that."  
  
"Is that really important now, Inuyasha? Don't you think it is more important that you find Kagome before something happens to her?"  
  
The others all turned to Inuyasha, awaiting his answer. Finally he nodded. "Okay. Let's go find the wench." With that said, he turned toward the door. As he reached out to move aside the door covering, a scream was heard in the distance.  
  
Inuyasha's head snapped in the direction of the scream, "Kagome!"  
  
In the forest, Kagome screamed as she ran into a clearing to face a set of glowing reddish eyes.  
  
Inuyasha and the others took off as fast as they could move, with Inuyasha leading the way.  
  
Once again I'm sorry this is so short. I will try to make the next one longer. 


	5. Chapter 5

Important Note: Last week I replaced the author's note that was chapter 4 with and actual chapter. So, if you haven't already read that chapter you should go back and read it first.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any of Rumiko Takahashi's other characters.  
  
A/N: Sorry it took me so long to get this updated, but I was really sick and pretty much stuck in bed.  
  
A Glimpse Ahead  
  
Chapter 5  
  
Kagome tried to scream again, but was cut off as a hand clamped over her mouth. "Kukuku," laughed Naraku, "Now that I have you both, I can put my plan into action."  
  
'Who else does he have?' Kagome thought before she felt a sharp pain at the back of her head and everything went dark.  
  
The rest of the group reached the clearing just as Naraku disappeared into the sky, with Kagome unconscious in his arms.  
  
"Damn! You bastard! I'll find you and I'll make you pay for this!" yelled Inuyasha.  
  
Ritsuko suddenly turned to Sango, "You still have Kagome's jewel shards, right?" Sango nodded. Ritsuko continued, "Then this is going to be interesting."  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Miroku.  
  
"Well, unless I'm mistaken about the time, Kagome is not the only one that Naraku is holding captive. He is going to use Father's feelings against him in the fight. You see, throughout time, tribes and clans and families, both human and youkai have separated themselves from each other be designating colors or patterns or symbols to each group. This is especially true among royalty and nobility. Well, my grandfather was the Great Demon of the Western Lands and my grandmother was actually a hime. So our family holds to a designated color. In case it wasn't obvious, our family is marked by the color red. We can all see that father wears red, Sesshomaru also wears some red, although not as much due to his anger at Grandfather for mating with a human. And now even the girl, Rin, who travels with Sesshomaru wears some red (A/N: I know that in the anime, Rin usually wears orange and white, but on the color picture on the back of some of the manga she's wearing red and white so I'm going with that since it works with the story), as Sesshomaru views her as family. Naraku will make use of this as well."  
  
Sango caught on to something Ritsuko had just said, "Wait, Sesshomaru's little human girl is considered by Sesshomaru to be part of the family?"  
  
Ritsuko nodded.  
  
"Then, how exactly does he see her? Like a daughter? Or something else?"  
  
Ritsuko shook her head, "Oh no. In the future, Sesshomaru will mate with that human girl. He only keeps from doing so now because he knows that she is too young. In the future, they are very much in love and have two adorable children. In fact, that's part of the reason why Father and Uncle Sesshomaru start getting along again. Sesshomaru couldn't very well keep despising hanyou when he has hanyou children, now could he?"  
  
Miroku caught on, "So that would make Rin your aunt, right?"  
  
"Well, yeah," Ritsuko replied.  
  
"So, falling for humans really does run in your family," Shippo said, receiving a smack on the head from Inuyasha.  
  
The irritated hanyou then growled at the others, "Do you plan on wasting time here all day or are we going to go look for Kagome?"  
  
Meanwhile Kagome was waking up in a cold, dark room. She was chained up by her wrists and ankles to swing-like contraption hanging from the ceiling. Looking down at herself, she noticed that she had been dressed in a kimono of fine red silk. She could feel a ribbon tied in her hair, making a headband.  
  
"So, you're finally awake," spoke a familiar voice.  
  
Kagome turned her head to face the voice. It was like looking into a mirror. The girl before her was similarly chained up and dressed in a similar red kimono, although her hair was tied back away from her face. A face that was almost identical to her own, "Kikyo. So, you're the other one Naraku was talking about."  
  
"Kukuku. Now that I have you both, it is only a matter of time before Inuyasha shows up and I use the two of you to destroy him. Although I am disappointed, I expected you to have some jewel shards on you, girl."  
  
Kagome gasped. The jewel shards. Where were they? She had left the hot springs in such a hurry that she had forgotten all about them. Boy was Inuyasha going to be pissed. She silently prayed that Sango or Ritsuko had noticed and picked them up.  
  
Naraku continued on, "Seeing the two of you like this will torture Inuyasha. I shouldn't be entirely surprised if he goes mad. That would certainly make things easier. Forcing him to choose between you two. It's really quite simple. I don't know why I hadn't thought of it before."  
  
"I don't understand," Kagome said, "What makes this any different than any other time he's been around both of us together."  
  
Kikyo answered, "Because this time we've been marked. We're both dressed entirely in red. That's Inuyasha's family color. If his youkai instincts kick in at all, it will force him to choose one of us over the other, of neither of us at all. And if they fully take over, the one of us he doesn't choose could end up dead for falsely claiming his family color." 


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own any of the characters except Ritsuko.  
A Glimpse Ahead  
  
Chapter 6  
  
The group followed Inuyasha to a dark mountain cave entrance. He stopped and sniffed the air, "They're in there. I can smell them: Naraku, Kagome and.Kikyo."  
  
The others, with the exception of Ritsuko looked somewhat surprised. Ritsuko simply nodded, "Are you starting to understand how difficult this is gonna be?"  
  
Inuyasha just growled and rushed toward the entrance of the cave. Ritsuko tried to stop him but was not fast enough. She turned toward the others and said urgently, "Come on guys! We have to try to stop him! He's gonna lose control! His instincts are going to take over! This is not going to end without a lot of blood being shed."  
  
The others stared at Ritsuko for a moment before taking off after Inuyasha. When they found him, they were shocked by what they saw. Inuyasha was now transforming into his full demon form. In front of him, Kagome and Kikyo were hanging from the ceiling, tied up within some sort of weird contraptions. Both were dressed completely in red. Naraku stood off to the side with a sinister grin on his already evil face.  
  
Kagome looked up. Inuyasha was in front of her, transformed into his full demon form. She saw him look back and forth between Kikyo and her. A growl formed in his throat. 'So, this is where it starts,' she thought, 'He's gonna pick Kikyo. He's going to kill me.' Tears formed in her eyes at the thought. She saw Inuyasha leap into the air and she squeezed her eyes shut.  
  
Sango, Miroku, Shippo and Ritsuko watched in horror as Inuyasha leapt toward the girls, with his claws extended toward one of them. Just before he struck the girl however, the two contraptions holding the girls switched places and Naraku's evil laughter filled the air. The demonic Inuyasha looked down to realize that he had been forced to slash the girl he had chosen as his mate. His eyes turned toward Naraku, filled with rage. He attacked with more power than the others had ever seen before. They tried to help, but were blocked by a barrier.  
  
"Wait a minute," said Sango, "why is he still able to use Testusaiga?"  
  
Ritsuko answered, "His transformation occurred naturally and he is still using Testusaiga to protect humans."  
  
Miroku had another question, "Why was Inuyasha attacking Kagome and Kikyo?"  
  
"He wasn't attacking them both. When his youkai instincts took over, he ended up choosing his mate. His instincts then took offense to anyone else in the area dressed entirely in red, who is not actually a member of his family because it is like making a false claim to him and everything that belongs to him. His first instinct was to attack."  
  
"But Naraku tricked him."Miroku continued.  
  
"Causing his youkai instincts to go wild with rage. From his point of view, Naraku has violated his property, making him damage and possibly destroy what he holds most dear," Ritsuko added, "and he will not stop fighting now until one of them is dead."  
  
"But Naraku must have known that Inuyasha would attack," said Sango.  
  
"He was taking a chance on father's instincts causing him to go mad and attack blindly, making him an easy target. But he seems to have miscalculated."  
  
They turned to watch helplessly as Inuyasha battled Naraku. By this time, both girls had been released from the contraptions that held them, and both appeared to be unconscious on the floor. It was impossible to get to either of them through the barrier. So they fixed their gazes on the battle between Inuyasha and Naraku, awaiting the final outcome. Finally, just as it seemed that the two would never defeat each other, Inuyasha sliced away Naraku's jewel shards. With one final blow, Naraku was defeated.  
  
The barrier disappeared, but as the group tried to move towards their friends (and Kikyo), Inuyasha turned and gave them a warning growl. He made his way over to where the identical girls lay on the floor. As he reached the uninjured girl, she looked up at him with fear, worry, and sadness in her eyes. She knew that he had originally meant to strike her. She could also tell by the look on his face that he still meant to strike her.  
  
"Please don't kill me, Inuyasha," she said pleadingly, "I can help you save her. She may not make it if she doesn't get help soon."  
  
Inuyasha glanced over to the other girl. He tilted his head, an indication that he meant for the uninjured girl to check on the injured girl. The uninjured girl moved over to the other girl, but did nothing to treat her. Instead she bowed her head for a moment before looking up at Inuyasha with sad eyes and saying his name one more time before she felt his clawed hand go straight through her stomach.  
  
Inuyasha then reverted back to his hanyou form and walked to where the injured girl lay. He knelt beside her and lifted her into his arms. He looked at his claws. He had done this. He had feared it might happen someday. He sighed with relief as he noticed she was still breathing and her heart was still beating, although her heart rate was slow and her breathing rasping. But she was deathly pale and cold. And her blood soaked her kimono and formed a puddle on the ground.  
  
A single tear slid down Inuyasha's face as he tucked her head under his chin and whispered, "Gomen nasai, Kagome."  
  
Okay, so the thing is, I didn't actually completely decide until the very end of this chapter what I wanted the pairing to be. That's why I don't refer to Kagome and Kikyo as Kagome and Kikyo much in this chapter. But I really like the IY/Kag pairing better, so I decided to go with it. 


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: After all this time, I still don't own Inuyasha. (Sigh)  
  
A/N: Okay. I am so, so sorry that it has taken me so long to update. The last month at school has been really busy. And I was sick for a while. And I have a foot problem. And then I started working on this chapter and changed my mind about what I wanted to have happen about half way through. But I'm not sick anymore and classes are over so hopefully I will have more time to work on my fics. Anyway this chapter has a bit of what some of you may consider OOCness, but I could picture it happening sometime, so I included it. Anyway, here you go.  
  
A Glimpse Ahead  
  
Chapter 7  
  
Ritsuko came up behind Inuyasha, who was still holding Kagome in his arms, "We should get her back to Kaede's. We don't know yet if her ability to heal herself is permanent so it's better to be safe than sorry."  
  
Inuyasha looked down at Kagome. She was gasping for breath. He wasn't even sure how his own healing power would hold up against such wounds if they weren't properly treated as well. He carefully lifted the girl and was about to take off when Miroku's voice stopped him, "What about Kikyo? We might still be able to save her as well."  
  
Inuyasha sniffed the air then shook his head. Kikyo was gone. But for some reason he didn't care. Kagome was all that mattered to him right now, although he could not quite recall how that decision had come about. He just knew that without Kagome, he suddenly couldn't imagine what his life would be like. It was a more intense feeling than he had ever had for Kikyo. So, without any further answer, Inuyasha sped off toward the village through the now darkened forest, going as fast as he could without causing more damage to Kagome.  
  
By the time they reached the village, some of Kagome's smaller wounds were beginning to heal. Inuyasha noted this with some relief, but refused to relax until Kagome had been treated my Kaede.  
  
Kaede made Inuyasha wait outside as she examined Kagome, as his continuous pacing proved to be a bit of a distraction. Luckily, the others had arrived and were trying their best to calm the hanyou down.  
  
"Do not worry Inuyasha. Kagome-sama is much stronger than she seems," Miroku tried to reassure him.  
  
But it wasn't until quite a while later that Inuyasha had the brilliant idea of asking Ritsuko how the situation would turn out.  
  
"Well," she replied, "even being from the future, I can't tell you for sure. You have to understand that the future is never set in stone. I had no idea that this would happen. But I believe that she will survive her wounds. However, we will have to wait and see what Kaede-sama thinks."  
  
As if on cue, Kaede appeared at the door of the hut.  
  
"Well, how is she?" Inuyasha asked while trying not to sound too worried.  
  
"It is difficult to say. Her wounds seem to have healed as before, however, she has not awakened and I am not fully sure as to the reason."  
  
Shippo asked, "So what's going to happen?"  
  
"First," replied Kaede, "I think we should let her be for the night. Her life is not currently in any danger and she may wake up on her own. If she has not regained consciousness by tomorrow morning, then there is a spell that I can try that will allow for ye to enter Kagome's subconscious. Then ye can try to wake her up from there."  
  
"Me?!" Inuyasha exclaimed.  
  
"Well actually any of ye who want to try. We might have better luck if more than one person goes, although the spell will become more difficult. But we will discuss it more if it becomes necessary. For now, I suggest that ye get some rest. It has been quite a day and there's nothing more to be done for Kagome until morning."  
  
Nodding in agreement, the others followed Kaede into the hut and, after a quick meal, got ready for bed. As the others slept, Inuyasha stayed awake, watching over Kagome. She still hadn't shown any sign of waking and it was driving Inuyasha crazy, even if he knew she wasn't in danger of dying anymore. He leaned over her brushed her bangs off her forehead as he silently pleaded with her to open her eyes. He watched her intently for any change. When he received no response, he sighed and leaned back against the wall behind him.  
  
Ritsuko's voice snapped him back to attention, "You're going to go tomorrow, aren't you? Into her subconscious? I mean, if it's necessary."  
  
Inuyasha hesitated for a moment but then nodded.  
  
"I know that you care about her and I want you to know that I'll go with you tomorrow."  
  
Inuyasha's eyes widened slightly and he said softly, "It's her then, isn't it? I thought it might be. And to be honest, I kind of hoped it would be."  
  
"Yeah, it's her," Ritsuko said, with a soft smile.  
  
"I suppose that makes sense. You have the exact same eyes as her, you know?"  
  
Ritsuko nodded, "Yeah, but I got my father's hair."  
  
Inuyasha smirked at that.  
  
"I would have told you sooner," continued Ritsuko, "but I was told not to tell anyone until you had figured it out for yourself. I know that you've kept your feelings for her to yourself because you're afraid of rejection but you have to know, she won't reject you. She's been going through the exact same thing. She does love you. And when we get her back, you have to tell her. My existence, and perhaps both of yours as well, depends on it."  
  
Inuyasha regarded Ritsuko thoughtfully for a moment before she turned around to go back to sleep and he focused his attention back on Kagome. Now he knew, Kagome was to be his mate, if she ever woke up. Inuyasha shook that thought from his head. Kagome would wake up, even if he had to drag her back to consciousness kicking and screaming. He wasn't going to give up on her and he wasn't going to let her give up either.  
  
Feeling a little more at ease, Inuyasha decided to try to get some sleep. Before giving into his dreams, he leaned down and whispered into Kagome's ear, "I'll see you tomorrow."  
  
As he fell into sleep, he failed to notice the corners of Kagome's lips turn up for a brief second before returning to her previous state. However, Kaede had awoken momentarily and caught the brief smile and commented under her breath, "Amazing, even in her current condition, Inuyasha is still able to reach her. Those two are full of surprises." Then she went back to sleep with the feeling that everything would some how turn out all right. 


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: Just in case you haven't figured it out yet: I DON'T OWN INUYASHA! And actually, the idea for the memory trees came from Irresponsible Captain Tylor and I don't own that either. But Ritsuko is my own character. I do own her.  
  
A/N: This chapter is a little shorter than the last one but it is really just kind of a filler chapter to set things up for the next chapter.  
  
A Glimpse Ahead  
  
Chapter 8  
  
When the group woke up the next morning, they found no change in Kagome's condition so Kaede called a meeting to explain to the group what would take place for the spell.  
  
"First I will mix up an elixir," she explained, "then any of ye who wish to go inside Kagome's mind must drink of the elixir. Then I will read the spell and ye will fid yourselves in Kagome's subconscious, though I can't tell ye exactly what ye will find there. Now we must discuss who will be going. Inuyasha, I assume that ye will be going?"  
  
Inuyasha nodded, "Yeah, and Ritsuko's coming along."  
  
"I wanna go, too! I wanna go, too!" Shippo exclaimed.  
  
"I would like to go as well," added Sango.  
  
"Of course I am going to go along, too," Miroku agreed.  
  
About an hour later, the group had drunken the elixir and Kaede started reading the spell. Slowly, the entire groups eyes began to close. When they opened their eyes again, there found themselves in what appeared to be a forest.  
  
"I wonder where she came up with this idea?" Miroku asked, slightly teasingly.  
  
* FLASHBACK*  
  
Kaede sat stirring the elixir trying to explain a bit more to the group, "While I can't tell ye for sure what to expect, the landscape of a person's subconscious is usually based on something they find comforting or a completely abstract terrain that they event for themselves. Either way, it is, in most people, a terrain that they find comforting or soothing, since they have to live with it as part of themselves."  
  
*END FLASHBACK*  
  
"Feh!" Inuyasha replied as he leaned against one of the trees. He jumped in surprise as a picture appeared on the tree and played out like one of those "movies" from Kagome's time. It showed the first time Kagome had come through the well.  
  
"Hey!" Inuyasha shouted, "She never told me she had played with my ears!"  
  
Then Shippo spoke up, "Hey, who is this guy?"  
  
They all watched as another tree showed Kagome walking with Hojo after school.  
  
"I don't know," replied Miroku, "but these scenes appear to be Kagome- sama's memories. What do you think, Inuyasha?"  
  
Inuyasha sat growling at the "Hojo tree."  
  
"Okay then."  
  
"Wow, Inuyasha, there sure are a lot of you in here. I've found more of you than anyone else so far," Shippo said.  
  
That got Inuyasha's attention and a faint blush painted his face. He tried to cover it up, "Hey! What are we doing? We shouldn't be wasting time going through all of Kagome's memories. We need to.."  
  
"WHACK!"  
  
"BAM!"  
  
Miroku had just received two new lumps on the head for drooling over a memory from when the three girls had been at the hot springs. Now Inuyasha moved to growl at Miroku.  
  
Miroku backed away, "Remember what you were just saying, Inuyasha? We shouldn't be wasting our time here. We have to go find Kagome-sama and bring her back."  
  
Inuyasha backed down, "Well, what are you waiting for?"  
  
"Just a minute," Sango spoke up, "I think it might be best if we split up. We stand a better chance of finding Kagome-chan that way. And it's not like we're going to be in danger. This is Kagome-chan's mind after all."  
  
"That does make sense," Ritsuko added, "although I would suggest that Shippo go with Miroku. I don't think Shippo should wander around by himself and Miroku might need some help staying on track, now that he knows some of the memories he can see here."  
  
Shippo and Sango snickered, while Miroku tried to look offended. Inuyasha nodded his acceptance of the plan. So they split up and headed off in four different directions, with the agreement to return to that spot within three hours to see if anyone had found Kagome. 


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters in the series. If I did, then Kikyou would stay dead. I mean really, she's taking the whole comeback thing a little too far in my opinion.  
  
A/N: This chapter focuses a lot more on Miroku and Sango than the other chapters do. We will see a bit more of them in at least the next chapter as well. However, I might not get the next chapter up for a while because I am in the process of moving and will be separated from my computer for most of this week.  
A Glimpse Ahead  
  
Chapter 9  
  
Miroku and Shippo had been wandering around in the "forest" for a while when they heard a twig snap off to their left. Thinking that it might be Kagome, there turned to check it out. What they found was a very exasperated looking Sango.  
  
"What are you guys doing here?" she asked, "You were supposed to keep walking as straight in your direction as possible."  
  
"But we have been going straight the whole time," Shippo said.  
  
Miroku gave Sango a sly grin, "Perhaps my magnetic charm has driven you off of your course."  
  
Sango smacked Miroku upside the head, "Now that's not very likely. Okay. I'm going to go this way. You guys go in that direction."  
  
Miroku and Shippo nodded and took off in the direction Sango had told them to go while she walked off at a 90-degree angle from them. Walking along, Sango sighed to herself. It didn't seem that Miroku could take anything seriously. If he could stay serious for more than two minutes at a time, her might actually stand a chance of getting a girl. She would even be willing to give it a chance herself.  
  
She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't notice the object in front of her until she ran into it. Jumping back, she shook her head to clear it. Then she opened her eyes and a blush tinted her cheeks as she realized what she had run into. Looking back at her, over his shoulder was none other than Miroku.  
  
"Ah! See now," he said with a smile, "you really are drawn to me."  
  
"B-but, I don't understand. I stayed on my path perfectly, I'm sure of it," she stammered in response, her face turning a brighter shade of red at his comment.  
  
"I cannot say that I understand either. But since we keep running into one another anyway, what do you say we continue to search for Kagome-sama together?"  
  
Sango eyed the monk suspiciously for a moment before agreeing to team up with him on the search. At least Shippo was there too. She wouldn't be left completely alone with the hentai houshi. Moving together now, the three took off with Miroku smiling to himself and Sango wearily watching him from the corner of her eye. After a while she had to admit that she was really enjoying Miroku's company. He wasn't such a bad guy when he kept his hands to himself. And she had to admit that, despite her earlier thoughts, he really was taking the search for Kagome seriously.  
  
Once again caught up in her thoughts, Sango failed to notice that Miroku had stopped rather suddenly. And for the second time that day, she walked directly into his back.  
  
"Houshi-sama! Why did you stop?" she asked, trying to sound angry to cover up the fact that she was again blushing furiously.  
  
He put a finger up to his lips as a signal for her to be quiet. He then pointed in front of himself. There, sitting by the edge of a small stream, was Kagome, in her school uniform. She appeared to be crying.  
  
MEANWHILE  
  
Inuyasha and Ritsuko had just come across each other for the third time.  
  
"What the hell is going on here?" Inuyasha growled.  
  
"I'm not sure," Ritsuko replied, "But I suppose the terrain of a person's mind doesn't have to follow normal logic. Maybe this is Mother's way of telling us that we should stick together. Or maybe it's just some weird coincidence. I don't know. But I have a feeling that we're supposed to team up. Call it women's intuition."  
  
Inuyasha blushed when Ritsuko called Kagome "Mother" but when she finished talking he snorted and continued walking. He hadn't gotten more than fifty feet when he suddenly stopped in his tracks.  
  
"What is it?" Ritsuko asked.  
  
"Be quiet!" Inuyasha replied, "Listen carefully."  
  
Ritsuko listened intently, "It sounds like sniffling. Coming from that direction." (To their right)  
  
Inuyasha nodded, "It's Kagome." Then he took off running in that direction, leaving Ritsuko to try to follow him.  
  
Ritsuko caught up to Inuyasha just as they reached a small clearing. In the middle of that clearing sat Kagome, still dressed in the red kimono that Naraku had put her in. She had been sitting with her head buried in her knees, which were pulled up to her chest, but looked up when she heard Inuyasha and Ritsuko enter the clearing. When she met Inuyasha' s eyes, he did not like what he saw.  
  
She had tear trails running down her cheeks. But what really bothered him was what he saw in her eyes. Along with recognition and surprise he saw sadness. Sadness and fear. She was terrified. And it was him that she was afraid of. 


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters from the series. But I own Ritsuko 'cause I made her up.  
  
A/N: Sorry it's taken a while to update but as I said last time, I just moved back to the States after having lived elsewhere for the past three years. Anyway, I tried to make this chapter a bit longer. Also, there is again a bit more of Sango and Miroku in this chapter than in previous chapter. The next chapter should be big time Inuyasha and Kagome. Also I know part of this is repetitive but it kind of has to be for the story.  
A Glimpse Ahead  
  
Chapter 10  
  
Sango slowly approached her friend, reaching out a hand to place on Kagome's shoulder. Shippo tried to run to Kagome but Miroku stopped him, "Let Sango try to get through to her first, Shippo. We don't know what will set her off at this point and we're here to help her not to hurt her remember?"  
  
The little kitsune's eyes widened and he paused to let what Miroku had said sink in before nodding his agreement. The two turned their attention back to Sango and Kagome.  
  
Sango reached her friend, "K-Kagome? Daijoubu?"  
  
Kagome looked up with tear-filled eyes and shook her head, "No. I'm not okay. How could I be? Inuyasha attacked me. When his demon instincts took over, he slashed at me. That means he chose Kikyo. How can I be okay with that? I can't ever go back and face him now."  
  
"But that's not true!" Shippo cried out from behind the girls.  
  
Kagome turned toward Shippo with eyes wide in surprise, "What does he mean, Sango-chan?"  
  
"Well, um, Inuyasha didn't mean to attack you. Naraku set up a trap. Inuyasha tried to attack Kikyo when his demon instincts took over."  
  
"Except Naraku made you guys switch places," Shippo finished.  
  
"But," Kagome began, "I didn't feel myself move. How am I supposed to believe what you've said, when everything I remember is just the opposite?"  
  
Miroku answered, "To be blunt, if Inuyasha had meant to attack you, we wouldn't be able to talk to you right now because you would be dead."  
  
"That's right!" Shippo exclaimed, "Cause now Kikyo's dead."  
  
Kagome gasped in shock, "N-Nani?"  
  
"After he was tricked into slashing you, Inuyasha battled and defeated Naraku. Then, when Kikyo tried to stop him from getting to you, he attacked and killed her," explained Miroku, rather calmly.  
  
"Then, he turned back into his hanyou form while he was walking over to you. He's been really upset since then," added Shippo.  
  
Sango continued, "He's in here somewhere as well."  
  
Kagome dropped her head. The others watched as her shoulders began to shake. But when she lifted her head and, although there were tears in her eyes, she had a smile on her face. Then she spoke softly, "Just one more thing. Miroku, show me your hand. Show me that there is no more air void. Then I will believe everything."  
  
Miroku lifted his right hand so she could see it. Then a brilliant light surrounded the group. When they could open their eyes again, Miroku, Sango, and Shippo found themselves back in Kaede's hut. Kagome still lay unconscious and Inuyasha and Ritsuko were nowhere to be found.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"Why isn't Kagome awake?"  
  
"Where are Inuyasha and Ritsuko?"  
  
Kaede found herself bombarded with questions from the newly returned members of the group, "Let me try to explain. I believe that Kagome split her subconscious into various parts. You have managed to free one part of her being. However, she will not awaken until all of her being has been set free. It is now up to Inuyasha and Ritsuko."  
  
Sango, not fully aware of her actions, sought comfort in Miroku's arms. After everything, Kagome wasn't awake yet. She just needed to help accepting that. Miroku, in an uncharacteristic manner, simply wrapped an arm around Sango's waist and allowed her to cry into his shoulder.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~BACK IN THE DREAM FOREST~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Inuyasha took a step toward Kagome but stopped and flinched as she recoiled in fear. It hurt him more than he would admit to anyone to see her afraid of him. He turned a questioning glance to Ritsuko.  
  
She nodded, "Let me talk to her first." With that, she approached Kagome.  
  
"Why are you here?" Kagome asked.  
  
"I'm here to explain a few things to you," Ritsuko replied, "First, you don't need to be afraid of my father. He will not hurt you. He didn't mean for you to get hurt before. That was Naraku's doing. He's here now because he's worried about your. He cares about you."  
  
"No, he attacked me. He chose Kikyo."  
  
"No, he killed Kikyo. He injured you, and only because he was tricked into it."  
  
"He still won't choose me though," sighed Kagome.  
  
Ritsuko gave her a bewildered look, "What makes you say that?"  
  
"I don't have a sister," replied Kagome.  
  
"Okay. Now I'm confused. What does that have to do with anything?"  
  
"You said," Kagome started," At the hot springs. You were talking about your aunt."  
  
Ritsuko laughed, "Oh, wow! Now I understand why you ran off. I wasn't talking about either of my parents' sister. Neither of them have one. I was talking about Uncle Sesshomaru's wife, Aunt Rin."  
  
Kagome's eyes just about popped your of her head, "Oh! Wow! That is definitely not what I thought." Then she actually giggled.  
  
"Well, not that you're feeling a little better, I thing that you should talk with father. I have a feeling that it's tearing him apart to not be able to talk to you. How about it?"  
  
Kagome nodded and turned her gaze to Inuyasha.  
  
Inuyasha, who had bee staring at the ground, glanced up at the sound of Kagome's laughter. When Kagome looked toward him, his breath caught. The fear was gone from her eyes. What he now saw looked more like hope. She nodded for him to approach her. And he did so, with caution. At the same time, Ritsuko snuck away from the couple.  
  
As he approached, Inuyasha softly called out her name, "Kagome?" 


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I still don't own Inuyasha  
  
A/N: Well, here's another chapter. There will be at least one more after this. I am willing to take suggestions on what you would like to have happen after this chapter. Also, I know that there's some OOCness in this chapter, but it's really hard to write a chapter like this and have them stay completely in character.  
  
A Glimpse Ahead  
  
Chapter 11  
Kagome's eyes met Inuyasha's. The look on his face surprised her. Maybe Ritsuko had been right. His eyes held such pain and sadness that she wanted to throw her arms around him and reassure him that everything would be okay. But despite the fact that her fear of him was now gone, her doubt and fear of rejection held her back.  
  
She worked up the courage to ask him, "Is what Ritsuko said the truth? That you didn't mean to hurt me? That you didn't choose Kikyo over me?"  
  
Inuyasha dropped his eyes to the ground and nodded.  
  
"She said you killed Kikyo."  
  
Inuyasha nodded again.  
  
"Why?"  
  
Inuyasha took a deep breath, "Well, you were hurt and she was trying to keep me from you. Not to mention that something inside me was screaming at me to do it. From what I can remember, I think I was trying to attack her all along for some reason. When I realized I hit you instead, something inside me just snapped. And I don't know how, but I beat Naraku. I was so angry."  
  
Something in his voice caught her attention. "Inuyasha," she said, "look at me."  
  
Inuyasha lifted his head so that his gaze met Kagome's. When he did so, she gasped. There were tears trailing down his cheeks. He looked so vulnerable and alone. The sight of him in that state broke her heart. Deciding to ignore her doubt and fear, Kagome finally did throw her arms around Inuyasha. He tensed in surprise for a moment before burying his head in Kagome's shoulder. She sat, holding him and stroking his hair as he, for once, let tears flow, unashamed, from his eyes. Even when the tears had stopped, she continued to hold him. He kept his head on her shoulder, but turned it to the side so he could continue to talk to her.  
  
"Gomen, Kagome," he started, "It really was an accident. I would never intentionally hurt you."  
  
"I know. I realize that now," she replied.  
  
"When I reached you, you were so pale and cold and there was so much blood. I thought I had lost you. Then your wounds healed and you still didn't wake up. Do you have any idea what I've been going through?"  
  
Kagome shook her head, "No. But I'll listen if you're willing to tell me."  
  
Inuyasha nodded, "I realized that, if I got a chance, I had to tell you. Everything. When I thought that you were gone, especially knowing that it would have been by my hand, I wanted to die. And when I realized that you were still alive, all I could think of was getting you help. Nothing else mattered to me anymore. I realized that I couldn't imagine my life without you. I've never felt that way about anyone before. And then I realized that I had never really loved Kikyo because what I felt for her was nothing compared to what I feel for you. I love you and only you, Kagome."  
  
Inuyasha quieted as he heard Kagome begin to cry softly. He stepped back and held her at arms length. He head was lowered so he put a finger under her chin to lift it so he could see her face. When he did so, he saw tear tracks running down her cheeks.  
  
"What's wrong, Kagome? Why are you crying?"  
  
She wiped at her tears and gave him a tiny smile, "Nothing is wrong. I'm just so happy."  
  
Inuyasha gave her a confused look, which turned to one of surprise when she leaned in and kissed him. The kiss, which seemed to last for an eternity yet only a second, was interrupted when Ritsuko cleared her throat from behind the tree she was leaning against. Inuyasha and Kagome stepped apart, their faces tinted bright red for the embarrassment at suddenly remembering that they had an audience.  
  
"Sorry to break things up," Ritsuko said, "but I case you haven't noticed, we're still in Kagome's mind. That means that you haven't said everything that you need to say yet."  
  
"Oh how embarrassing," Kagome exclaimed, "to have you daughter watching all of that!"  
  
"Actually, that would be OUR daughter. I thought from the beginning that that might be the case. She confirmed that for me last night," Inuyasha explained.  
  
Kagome's blush deepened, "Oh. But. I."  
  
Inuyasha smirked, "So, knowing that, Kagome, will you be my mate?"  
  
"Of course!" Kagome cried, a huge smile brightening her face.  
  
Then the group was enveloped in light. Kagome woke up but was afraid to open her eyes. She didn't want to face possible rejection after such a wonderful dream. But then a voice whispering to her forced her to open her eyes.  
  
"I know you're awake, Kagome. Open your eyes. There's nothing to be afraid of. I meant everything I said," the voice whispered.  
  
It hadn't been just a dream! Kagome slowly opened her eyes to meet a pair of gold eyes staring straight back at her. 


	12. Author

Hi there everyone. I just wanted to apologize for not updating in awhile. I've been having issues with major writer's block. But I'm starting to get over it and I am working on the next chapter so hopefully I'll have it up by this weekend.  
  
-Lina Li 


	13. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.  
  
A/N: Here is chapter 12 finally. After getting it all written out, I went to type it only to find that half the keys on my keyboard weren't working. So I had to wait until I could get another keyboard to actually type it. Anyway, here it is.  
  
A Glimpse Ahead  
  
Chapter 12  
  
Kagome smiled at Inuyasha. She opened he mouth to say something but was stopped when he signaled for her to keep quiet. At her confused look he tilted his head toward the corner of the hut where Miroku and Sango were sleeping in each other's arms. Seeing this, Kagome's smile grew wider. It changed to a look of surprise, however, when Inuyasha scooped her up in his arms and ran out of the hut.  
  
"Where are we going?" Kagome asked, once they were out of the village.  
  
Inuyasha smirked and replied, "It's a surprise. You'll see when we get there."  
  
So Kagome closed her eyes and enjoyed the trip in Inuyasha's arms. When he finally stopped, she opened her eyes and gasped with amazement at the sight before her. They were standing on a cliff ledge, overlooking a valley with a sparkling lake and the ruins of an old village. Turning around she saw a large cave behind them.  
  
"What is this place?" she asked.  
  
"That's the village that I lived in as a child. See that house right on the lake? That was my house until the village people drove my mother and I out after my father died. Then we moved to this cave and this is where I lived until my mother died. Then I wandered around until I heard about the Shikon no Tama. So until I met you and started staying in Kaede-baba's village, this area was the only place I could really call home," Inuyasha explained.  
  
Kagome glanced at him, "And now?"  
  
Inuyasha took a deep breath, "Now I guess I can say that it doesn't matter where I am. If you're with me, then I have a home wherever I go."  
  
A deep blush colored Kagome's face. She turned fully toward Inuyasha and offered him a shy smile. Then she told him, "I fee the same way about you. But if you feel that way, why did you bring me here?"  
  
"Well.um.I guess I figured that if I want to share my future with you, it's probably about time I shared some of my past. Come on, I want to show you the cave."  
  
When he glanced at Kagome, he noticed that her eyes were moist with unshed tears. But she was smiling. And when she threw her arms around him, he knew that everything was all right. He lifted her off the ground and carried her into the cave. Her eyes widened once they had reached the inner cavern. In awe, she said, "Wow! I had no idea that this cave was so big. And it's well furnished too. It's nicer than some of the houses I've seen around here."  
  
"Well of course it is," answered Inuyasha with a touch of bitterness in his voice, "Both of my parents were nobles in their own races. So I had to be provided for back then. All of this stuff, we actually brought from the house down in that village. That reminds me, I want to show you the house in the morning. If you like it, I want to build on just like it outside of Kaede-baba's village for us to live in."  
  
"I'd love to take a look at the house. But are we really going to stay here all night. I'm not tired, probably because I've had plenty of sleep lately. So what am I supposed to do to pass the time?" questioned Kagome.  
  
Inuyasha raised an eyebrow at here suggestively, while tilting his head toward another chamber in the cave.  
  
Kagome caught his meaning and, blushing furiously, squeaked, "Oh! Yeah, I guess we could do that. I mean I agreed to it and I want to be with you. I'm a bit nervous though. I've never done it before. Have you?"  
  
Inuyasha gave her a surprised look and shook his head, "No, a hanyou like me doesn't usually have many offers for mates, you know? Because most humans fear us and most demons scorn us."  
  
Kagome, eyes filling with tears again, ran over to Inuyasha and threw her arms around him. Then she whispered to him, "I'm not afraid of you. I'm proud to be your mate, Inuyasha."  
  
Inuyasha smiled kindly at her for a moment. Then, his smile took on a mischievous glimmer and he picked Kagome up and threw her over his shoulder before walking off toward the smaller chamber. 


	14. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: After all this time I still do not own Inuyasha.  
  
A/N: Hey everyone! I'm back. It's been awhile. Everyone probably thought I had fallen off the face of the earth or something like that, but there has just been a lot of new things going on in my life for the past few months. Anyway, I'm really sorry it's taken me so long to get this up, but here it is now.  
  
A Glimpse Ahead  
  
Chapter 13  
  
A slight movement at her side woke Kagome in the morning. Turning, she found Inuyasha still sleeping. She propped herself up on one elbow to get a good look at him. It was very rare to be able to watch Inuyasha sleep. She smiled as she recalled the evening before and the reason he might be feeling so lazy. After a little while, however, she decided it was about time to wake him up so she leaned over and gave his ears a small tug.  
  
Inuyasha awoke with a small growl of annoyance before opening his eyes to meet Kagome's. His annoyance vanished at the sight of her smiling down at him and, despite his weak attempt not to, he ended up smiling back at her before giving her a quick kiss.  
  
Eventually the two new mates dragged themselves out of bed and headed down to the old village to look at Inuyasha's former house. When she stepped inside, Kagome's jaw dropped in awe, "Oh, Inuyasha! It's beautiful even now! It must have been an absolutely gorgeous house when you lived here. I would love for us to have a house like this. But won't it take an awful long time to build?"  
  
"Keh!" snorted Inuyasha, "Are you trying to underestimate me. It won't take me anytime at all. Besides, I'm gonna make the others help me build it."  
  
"And what makes you think they'll help?" she retorted.  
  
"Because, in return, I'm going to help them build their house."  
  
Kagome had to laugh at his answer, even though there seemed to be little doubt left that Miroku and Sango would soon need a house of their own. "Well, in that case, I think we might as well head back and tell them."  
  
It was a quiet trip back to Kaede's village, with Inuyasha and Kagome simply enjoy each other's presence. When they arrived at Kaede's hut however, they were greeted by Shippo, throwing himself at Kagome and crying, "Kagome! I'm so happy! I woke up and that Ritsuko girl was back but you and Inuyasha were gone. She said that you were okay and that you guys had left the hut together but I didn't know whether to believe her or not. I'm so happy you're okay." By this time the others had joined them.  
  
"Kagome! You're okay!" exclaimed Sango.  
  
Miroku added, "Welcome back, Kagome-sama. See, Shippo, I told you we could believe Ritsuko."  
  
"Um, speaking of Ritsuko," interjected Kagome, "where is she?"  
  
Inuyasha glanced around and realized that their daughter was, in fact, not among the group of friends.  
  
"Oh, she left last night," Shippo said, "She said it was time for her to leave."  
  
"Did she say why?" Inuyasha demanded.  
  
Sango answered, "She said something about her orders and the rules of time travel."  
  
"What the hell does that mean?"  
  
A look of understanding crossed over Kagome's face and she reached out to place her hand on Inuyasha's arm. At her touch, Inuyasha turned to face Kagome. Catching the expression she was wearing, he raised a questioning eyebrow at her. She grabbed his had and placed it on her flat stomach. The puzzled look remained on Inuyasha's face a few moments longer until the meaning of her actions dawned on him and his eyes shot open in shock.  
  
Kagome giggled at the look on Inuyasha's face and said," I guess you better get started on that house right away."  
  
Meanwhile, Miroku took a step away from Sango to slap Inuyasha on the back, "You sly dog, you!"  
  
Inuyasha's sensitivity about his heritage took offense to this comment and he took off chasing Miroku around the village. The two girls watched with matching looks of exasperation, as Shippo stayed by their feet, jumping up and down and yelling for Miroku to turn around and beat up Inuyasha.  
  
Sango turned to Kagome, rolled her eyes and asked, "Aren't you glad to be back?" 


	15. Epilogue

Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Inuyasha or the characters from the series. Ritsuko and Yuji are mine though.  
  
A/N: I just want to thank everyone who has reviewed this story since I started it. A big thanks to Bran-chan, you've been great. Thanks for reading. This is the last chapter for this story but I MIGHT do a sequel about Ritsuko.  
  
A Glimpse Ahead  
  
Epilogue  
  
"Then your mother cracked the comb and Yura disappeared. And that is how we defeated Yura of the Hair. That's also the first time I really took notice of your mother," Inuyasha finished the story he had been telling his five-year-old daughter.  
  
"Wow!" Ritsuko responded, "You and Mommy are so cool! Someday I wanna travel through time and fight bad guys just like you!"  
  
Kagome walked through the door of her family's hut just in time to hear her daughter's comment. She and Inuyasha exchanged glances over Ritsuko's head. Inuyasha raised an eyebrow at Kagome and she nodded in return.  
  
"Well, little one," Inuyasha said, "you'll get your chance someday."  
  
"Do you really think so?"  
  
"I don't think so, I know so."  
  
Ritsuko, with a questioning expression on her face, glanced back and forth between her mother and father.  
  
Kagome was the one who spoke, "I think its time for another story. Would you like to hear how your father and I finally beat Naraku and realized that we were meant to be together?"  
  
Ritsuko's gray eyes grew wide with excitement and she nodded enthusiastically, "Oh! But can I go get Yuji first so he can hear, too?"  
  
Another glance was exchanged between Kagome and Inuyasha. Yuji was Miroku and Sango's four-year-old son. They eventually decided that, being almost family, it was okay for Yuji to hear the story as well.  
  
"Okay," Kagome said, "but hurry back."  
  
Ritsuko ran off to find her friend. A few minutes later she returned with not only Yuji, but also his whole family in tow.  
  
"So you've decided it's time to tell Ritsuko the story, eh, Inuyasha?" Miroku asked.  
  
Inuyasha merely grunted and gestured for the others to sit down. "Okay," he started, "this is the story of how, with a little help from another time traveling girl, we ended up defeating Naraku."  
  
He paused for a moment as Kagome moved to his side and clasped his hand in her own. He glanced at their joined hands and smiled before continuing on with his story.  
  
"It all began one day when Kagome and I were out hunting shards by on our own. That was the day we met the girl who would come to help us. A girl with silver hair and gray eyes. Her name was Ritsuko and she had come from the future to help us. 


End file.
